With the WHL announcing an early October start to the season with a full 68-game schedule, fans across Western Canada are getting excited at the thought of being back in arenas.
That has me thinking about three games I’m most looking forward to when the league finally hits the ice again in front of fans. Here they are:
- Regina Pats’ Home Opener ?? – this is easily #1 for me.
We were treated to an unbelievable rookie season for the WHL’s first exceptional player as Connor Bedard led the league in scoring at 15-years-old before departing for Texas to star at the IIHF World U-18 Championships. When fans in Regina pack the Brandt Centre to see this kid in person for the first time it will be a special moment.
This doesn’t just apply to Regina. There are more than a handful of teams that boasted an outstanding 15-year-old on their roster in the 2021 pandemic season. It will be electric once they can do their thing in front of fans. ?
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Teddy Bear Toss ? – Does it feel like 10 years since we’ve seen the toys fly around Christmas time? It does to me! ?
The crowds are always great for this annual tradition where fans bring stuffed toys with them to the game and throw them on the ice when the home team scores their first goal. The scene of those things raining from the sky is amazing to see… even if it’s a pain on the broadcast crews to fill the 10-15 (or more!) minute clean-up!
While teams were creative during the pandemic, there’s nothing like the real thing and the best place to see this in action is easily Calgary.
Routinely Calgary has been the top spot in the WHL for teddy bear toss. Hitmen fans inside the Saddledome toss nearly 30,000 items on the ice and at one time held the record. That has since been claimed by the Hershey Bears when they tossed nearly 35,000 bears on the ice in 2018.
Calgary’s record was 28,815.
Can they claim it back in 2021-22? We will need full buildings but I’m excited for it!
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New Year’s Day ??? – This is one of my absolute favourite games of the year.
There are a few reasons why I love this game.
First of all, with the exception of 2021, I’ve spent the past six seasons in Saskatoon for the first game of the new calendar year.
There are a few things that make this game great. The first is catching up with everyone after the holiday season. This includes players, coaches, management, fans, and the great off-ice officials and personnel we see every day. You get to that rink especially early on January 1st to spend more time catching up.
The second is the food! ? At least in Saskatoon, that’s how it’s done.
Without fail, there is always a full table of holiday baking, treats, and such. There is so a large slow cooker or two full of food for everyone. This is not your typical pizza and donuts pre-game meal! ?
The last thing is the early start time. We are so rigid in our routines in sports that it feels special when things change. Every night that puck drops at 7:05 pm or another standard time depending on your city. On New Year’s Day, it’s typically a lot earlier in the day. It feels special and I love it!
If there is one thing that I can say that isn’t great….
…it’s that we have to wait UNTIL OCTOBER for it all to get going!
I’ll see you there.
Darren Dupont
